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real letter-writing … is founded on a need as old and as young as humanity itself, the need that one human being has of another.

Agnes Repplier

There is an optimism which nobly anticipates the eventual triumph of great moral laws, and there is an optimism which cheerfully tolerates unworthiness.
AGNES REPPLIER

Anticipate Eventual Great Law Moral Optimism Triumph
If everybody floated with the tide of talk, placidity would soon end in stagnation. It is the strong backward stroke which stirs the ripples, and gives animation and variety.
AGNES REPPLIER

Backward Giving Pacidity Soon Stagnation Stron Strong Tide
Wit is a pleasure-giving thing, largely because it eludes reason; but in the apprehension of an absurdity through the working of the comic spirit there is a foundation of reason, and an impetus to human companionship.
AGNES REPPLIER

Absurdity Apprehension Elude Foundation Giving Largely Pleasure Reason
the pleasure of possession, whether we possess trinkets, or offspring – or possibly books, or prints, or chessmen, or postage stamps – lies in showing these things to friends who are experiencing no immediate urge to look at them.
AGNES REPPLIER

Book Look Lying Offspring Possibly Print Trinket
Diaries tell their little tales with a directness, a candor, conscious or unconscious, a closeness of outlook, which gratifies our sense of security. Reading them is like gazing through a small clear pane of glass. We may not see far and wide, but we see very distinctly that which comes within our field of vision.
AGNES REPPLIER

Candor Conscious Glasses Outlook Reading Tale Unconscious Vision
the tea-hour is the hour of peace … strife is lost in the hissing of the kettle – a tranquilizing sound, second only to the purring of a cat.
AGNES REPPLIER

Cat Housing Lost Peace Second Sound Strife Tea Transuilzing
the labors of the true critic are more essential to the author, even, than to the reader.
AGNES REPPLIER

Critic Essential Generosity Labour Reader Woman
Humor brings insight and tolerance. Irony brings a deeper and less friendly understanding.
AGNES REPPLIER

Bring Friendly Funny Humor Patience Tolerance Understanding
Erudition, like a bloodhound, is a charming thing when held firmly in leash, but it is not so attractive when turned loose upon a defenseless and unerudite public.
AGNES REPPLIER

Attractive Bloodhound Charming Erudition Knowledge Learning Leash
Lovers of the town have been content, for the most part, to say they loved it. They do not brag about its uplifting qualities. They have none of the infernal smugness which makes the lover of the country insupportable.
AGNES REPPLIER

Brag Cities Content Country Lover Most Part Uplifting
An historian without political passions is as rare as a wasp without a sting.
AGNES REPPLIER

Historian Passion Political Rare Sting Wasp
We cannot hope to scale great moral heights by ignoring petty obligations.
AGNES REPPLIER

Height Ignoring Moral Obligation Scale
Discussion without asperity, sympathy with fusion, gayety unracked by too abundant jests, mental ease in approaching one another; these are the things which give a pleasant smoothness to the rough edge of life.
AGNES REPPLIER

Abundant Asperity Edge Fusion Gayety Giving Jest Rough Sympathy Unracked
Life is so full of miseries, minor and major; they press so close upon us at every step of the way, that it is hardly worthwhile to call one another’s attention to their presence.
AGNES REPPLIER

Attention Hardly Life Press Step Way
While art may instruct as well as please, it can nevertheless be true art without instructing, but not without pleasing.
AGNES REPPLIER

Art Democracy Instructing May Nonetheless Please Pleasure Tease
if a man be discreet enough to take to hard drinking in his youth, before his general emptiness is ascertained, his friends invariably credit him with a host of shining qualities which, we are given to understand, lie balked and frustrated by his one unfortunate weakness.
AGNES REPPLIER

Ascertained Discreet Drinking Emptiness General Hard Lying Men

real letter-writing … is founded on a need as old and as young as humanity itself, the need that one human being has of another.

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real letter-writing … is founded on a need as old and as young as humanity itself, the need that one human being has of another.

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